Request for streetcar design is shelvedColeman says residents need more information; $2 million left available Tuesday, May 6, 2008 3:26 AM By Robert Vitale

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

In a public-works budget approved last night by Columbus City Council, streetcars are now known only as "miscellaneous economic development."

Bowing to criticism from council members who've complained about being left out of the debate and responding to concerns of residents and businesses, Mayor Michael B. Coleman removed a request to begin design of a High Street route and acknowledged he has more selling to do.

_________________This place is like the fair, only it cost a dollar to get in and the rides are junked cars.

What's wrong with the bus? Can someone please just explain what's wrong with the bus? Especially along that particular strip, from OSU to downtown? It's such a short ride.

The bus is scary.

If your not used to riding a bus it can be confusing. There is a chance you will get on a bus and who knows where you will go.

A street car will go 1 of 2 directions so you can't "get on the wrong bus".

I can see how the bus would intimidate people and a fixed streetcar would not.

can we honestly, everybody, stop catering to possible stupidity for-fucking-ever? please?"oh look, i am going somewhere i did not plan on going. i guess i will get off the fucking bus and rectify that as soon as possible.""oh look, a bus schedule with a little map on it. i guess i will figure out how to get where i am planning on going before i get on the fucking bus in the first place."

hmm. now i just think more people would ride the bus if they all said "the fucking bus" on the side really big. cool.

no, not "the fuck bus." assholes.

_________________I'm not saying "faggy" because I﻿ don't like homosexuals, I happen to be a huge fan of Rob Halford, Ian Mckellen, and I'm pretty sure Kurt Cobain even said that he might be bisexual, hell I have a bisexual friend. I'm saying "faggy" to describe this guys voice.

What's wrong with the bus? Can someone please just explain what's wrong with the bus? Especially along that particular strip, from OSU to downtown? It's such a short ride.

The bus is scary.

If your not used to riding a bus it can be confusing. There is a chance you will get on a bus and who knows where you will go.

A street car will go 1 of 2 directions so you can't "get on the wrong bus".

I can see how the bus would intimidate people and a fixed streetcar would not.

can we honestly, everybody, stop catering to possible stupidity for-fucking-ever? please?"oh look, i am going somewhere i did not plan on going. i guess i will get off the fucking bus and rectify that as soon as possible.""oh look, a bus schedule with a little map on it. i guess i will figure out how to get where i am planning on going before i get on the fucking bus in the first place."

hmm. now i just think more people would ride the bus if they all said "the fucking bus" on the side really big. cool.

no, not "the fuck bus." assholes.

I honestly don't think it's the transferring/schedule thing that makes the bus scary to certain people. I think it's some of the people who regularly ride/wait for the bus that makes the bus scary to certain other people. And I still fail to see how the streetcar would be less scary when the same people who ride the bus on a regular basis would probably also be riding the streetcar.

Unless they were going to institute some kind of "No crazy/smelly/rude people may ride the streetcar" policy.

hmm. now i just think more people would ride the bus if they all said "the fucking bus" on the side really big. cool.

no, not "the fuck bus." assholes.

wait - what if the bus had "fuck the streetcar!" written on the side?

_________________"The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other... involves orcs." - Kung Fu Monkey

He's the biggest proponent for streetcars that I know of. He headed up a letter-writing campaign, started a pro-streetcar facebook group, and has assembled a streetcar FAQ list here.etc…

I didn't make that FAQ, it was emailed to me and I posted it. I appreciate the props though for being a knowledgeable person on the topic. I've been doing a lot of research on rail transit over the past two years, mostly out of a casual personal interest, and would consider myself more "Pro Alternative Transit" rather than just "Pro Streetcar". Lately I've been trying to stay out of the arguments as most of what's been going on with the roundabout topics on CU have been fairly unproductive as everyone attempts to beat each other into submission on their personal stances.

Anyway, I'd say this is a pretty decent one stop shop as far as info goes:

I honestly don't think it's the transferring/schedule thing that makes the bus scary to certain people. I think it's some of the people who regularly ride/wait for the bus that makes the bus scary to certain other people. And I still fail to see how the streetcar would be less scary when the same people who ride the bus on a regular basis would probably also be riding the streetcar.

Unless they were going to institute some kind of "No crazy/smelly/rude people may ride the streetcar" policy.

in 14 years of intermittently riding, i have never had one weird episode with crazy/smelly/rude people on the bus.however, i have had plenty on the street.therefore, it is safer on the bus than on the street.QED

i think people who use the crazy/smelly/rude defense are looking for a reason to back up a decision they have already made. actually being afraid of poor wackjobs is not something i am prepared to believe that anyone couldn't get over if they felt public transportation was at all essential.

_________________I'm not saying "faggy" because I﻿ don't like homosexuals, I happen to be a huge fan of Rob Halford, Ian Mckellen, and I'm pretty sure Kurt Cobain even said that he might be bisexual, hell I have a bisexual friend. I'm saying "faggy" to describe this guys voice.

I honestly don't think it's the transferring/schedule thing that makes the bus scary to certain people. I think it's some of the people who regularly ride/wait for the bus that makes the bus scary to certain other people. And I still fail to see how the streetcar would be less scary when the same people who ride the bus on a regular basis would probably also be riding the streetcar.

Unless they were going to institute some kind of "No crazy/smelly/rude people may ride the streetcar" policy.

in 14 years of intermittently riding, i have never had one weird episode with crazy/smelly/rude people on the bus.however, i have had plenty on the street.therefore, it is safer on the bus than on the street.QED

i think people who use the crazy/smelly/rude defense are looking for a reason to back up a decision they have already made. actually being afraid of poor wackjobs is not something i am prepared to believe that anyone couldn't get over if they felt public transportation was at all essential.

You're lucky. I had so many problems waiting for the bus in front of the courthouse.

I honestly don't think it's the transferring/schedule thing that makes the bus scary to certain people. I think it's some of the people who regularly ride/wait for the bus that makes the bus scary to certain other people. And I still fail to see how the streetcar would be less scary when the same people who ride the bus on a regular basis would probably also be riding the streetcar.

Unless they were going to institute some kind of "No crazy/smelly/rude people may ride the streetcar" policy.

in 14 years of intermittently riding, i have never had one weird episode with crazy/smelly/rude people on the bus.however, i have had plenty on the street.therefore, it is safer on the bus than on the street.QED

i think people who use the crazy/smelly/rude defense are looking for a reason to back up a decision they have already made. actually being afraid of poor wackjobs is not something i am prepared to believe that anyone couldn't get over if they felt public transportation was at all essential.

You're lucky. I had so many problems waiting for the bus in front of the courthouse.

weird, when i lived down there i was at that stop quite a bit. i guess you could walk a block or two to another stop. (i'm not even kidding. i usually wander around anyway in the direction i'm heading. i hate just standing waiting for the bus.) is it just that people are gross or they want money or what? sure i'm not a girl but i don't look tuff or anything. were you sure to wear your "i don't fucking feel like talking to anyone" gurn and a pair of shitty "these are totally plugged into a cassette walkman, definitely not an ipod" headphones?

_________________I'm not saying "faggy" because I﻿ don't like homosexuals, I happen to be a huge fan of Rob Halford, Ian Mckellen, and I'm pretty sure Kurt Cobain even said that he might be bisexual, hell I have a bisexual friend. I'm saying "faggy" to describe this guys voice.

weird, when i lived down there i was at that stop quite a bit. i guess you could walk a block or two to another stop. (i'm not even kidding. i usually wander around anyway in the direction i'm heading. i hate just standing waiting for the bus.) is it just that people are gross or they want money or what? sure i'm not a girl but i don't look tuff or anything. were you sure to wear your "i don't fucking feel like talking to anyone" gurn and a pair of shitty "these are totally plugged into a cassette walkman, definitely not an ipod" headphones?

Mostly it was people asking for money, but a guy wouldn't leave me alone one day. I had my headphones in and he started talking to me. I made a big show of taking my earphones out and going, "What?" And he started asking me where I lived and if I had a husband. I would answer as politely and succinctly as I could and then put my headphone back in, but then he'd ask me another question. So I'd make the big show again, take out the earphone and go, "Yes?" Then he asked me if I had any kids. And I said, "No," and he said, "Do you want them?" And I said, "No..." And that was going to be the end of the conversation as far I was concerned. I started to put my headphone back in and turn away and he looked me up and down and said, "You've got some extra weight on you..." So I made a disgusted noise and walked away.After that I started walking a little more north to catch the bus.

And I realize that's far from the worst thing that could ever happen to a person, but it just seemed like a really hurtful thing to say to a person who just didn't feel like talking to you. It's not like I said, "Hey pal, fuck you," to him or anything. He just felt like insulting a woman waiting for the bus. And if I could have afforded to pay $15 a day to park across the street from where I was working for 5 hours a day twice a week, I totally would have after that day.